Clutch control mechanism



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W. EATON CLUTCH CONTROL MECHNISM Filed Dec 18 1940 July 20, 1943. l

* ber I8, port 22 Y provided with a bore .Whnthe parts are in the l speed in substantially valve V24 'and opening a suitablev manner so Y throttle valve in a closed or idling position. An

connection between conduits 29 and 30 is reestablished automatically as soon as the desired gear ratio is fully engaged. It thus follows that, with the parts of the valve 9 in the position shown in Fig. 1,'and withvthe gear shift ineither neutral or gear-engaged position, fluid pressure from'the f reservoir 8.will be supplied to the, clutch cylinderv B `through theinedium of Aconduit21, inlet 'cham-Ql and 'outlet chamber I9l ofl theV Y valverfconduit 29, .Valve I6 and'conduit 30, it*` being understood that, when this occurs, the

Yclutch is maintained in disengaged position.

' In orderk that the valve mechanism 2l. .n

l"I ""the accelerator pedal will cause i rotate 'in a 1clocl rwiseV control the flow 'of fluid pressure to'and `fromA the clutch cylinder 6, a valve operating element 3| is slidably mounted in theV housing and is formed at its right end and adapted to engage' the exhaust valve 25 Y between the port 32 and the outlet chamberl PI!! position showrr The port'32- 'is' in' turn connected with "a Achamber 34 formed Vin the housing,

govingvthat, on movement of the valve operating' element` 131| to the lef-t, the spring A26v will move the' valvel assembly to thefleft, rst'clos-l 'ing the valve`24`andf`thereafter openingr the eX- haustV valve -25 Tand' permitting communication between the outlet chamber ISV' and atmosphere through the-port 32, the-'chamber 34- and the The'va'lve element'SI fis responsive tol-engine the same manner as shown inftheapplication of RoyS.l Sanford, Serial No. 171,-'I0,led inthe Uy'. Si Patent Oce on Octfober 28, 193,7 andissued as Patent N o. 2,228,612

normally urgedto the right by means of a spring 36 interposed between acollar'l formed: onthe' element anjd apartition ing,'wh1e movement Aunder-the action' of centrifugal weights'SSi4 car.- Y ried by a rotating member 4|) driven by the e`n` 38 ofthe. valve nous-J to the left is accomplished gine'intheman-ner 'alreadyfdescribed When thelengine is`. 'stationaryA or running 'at idling speed, the spring V36 acting'on thexv'alveelementstem 4|andf'the collar -42 formedtheref' on isfsulicient -to maintain the Weights 139"v in the position shown, but, when the engine speed istincreased, the weights .are thrown outwardly and act through Vlever karms 'A43 to-force the collar 42 f andits Aconnected valve element 3| 1to thewleft; thus sequentially closing the intake the exhaust valve25. -:Th'e`- speed'oi. the engine Il is varied by controllingfthe supply of fuel thereto, rand, inthis particular case, a throttlervalve 44Qis mounted inlintake manifold 45 Vof thaengine, and is lprovided iwith: an operating leverA 46 to rwhich is `attached a throttle returnlspring 4.1 connected to the .body of thel engine in asto normally hold the at l its other end accelerator pedal I8v having its movement in one direction limited by a stop,,48a en the vehicle 32 having a valve seat133 l to prevent communication n andthe chamber 34?V isconne'cted-lto atmospherel by V*means ofY a con-- duitt35. 1ItwillQbe-apparentirom-the fore-A ing insuiiicient to onvJ'an. 14,"1941ythe valve'element 3| being frame; is VKalso suitably mountedA on theA vehicle Y 'irralzpositionv'convenient tothe operator and held inretracted position bygmeans'of a spring 11.9 1 connected V*between `.thedacceleratorY pedal and the lbody of the'- vehicle,lthe accelerator being connected to "the throttlefvalveoperating lever Y "46 'by' means .of abeam 'on the valve operatingl element v3|l bylmeans of 50 pivotally mounted 'rod 53.

a pin 5| located* intermediate the ends ofthe being connected with the lever llby a throttle skilled.. the lart thatgjwith@ accelerator vin*terconnected 't as the throttle and described ithrou'gh the medium ofa beam-pivotally mounted onV the valve operating element SL'depre'ssion of direction about the, pinv 5| with consequent opening of the throttle, the

only reaction :on the valve element 3| beingy Vthat duetolthe forfce exerted on the accelerator `pedal in overcoming the' tension of the spring 41, this force tending to move the valve opertoA the left, but normally bev Y move the velement venough to close rthe intake valve-24 and Yopen exhaust valve ir 25. VA fixed stop 54 '1s provided las fshownialt beam, andianother stop.

55 isf-provided at thelower' end ofthe beam. Y and on the opposite sidevrrthereof from the-stop 'Y ating elenruentv 3 il the yupper 'endl y of the 54,* in.y ,such a' marmer that, when i the valve, element13|v is'in the position 'shown,.the beamL rests.l against Athese stops undertheA 'action of. thefz'return v'springs .41 and Y'49, stoodthatJ the governorjweights in the, position* shown restagainst the outer surface of thev to prevent further under'the action of the spring 36.'

= 'If theroperator isz-now desirous of starting the vehicle inlow gear, for example; it Vwillffbennf.

derstood that; with the engine running at'idllng pressure froml the-reservoir tocause .disenfl gagementof. the clutch.,A O n depression of .the

accelerator pedal, however, the beam 50 will be rotated aboutthepin 5I-`ina clockwise direction with consequent, opening oftlf1ev throttle yalve Mfg-whereupon the speedl-of the engine wi11in crease untilapoint isreached wherethe celler trifugjal. forceyactingon the weights vi!!! will ybe sufflicient to movev the,l collar v4,2` and its-attac-hedV valveelement 3|.- to.theg left to rst" close the" valve 24, andgsubsequently open the `exhaust' valveZ toexhaust fluid pressure fromthe clutch motor 6 to atmosphere through conduit 30,valve' |6, conduit v29, valvew Aand exhaust conduit. Asthe clutch engages and picks up the load, A the, engine Y may tend. to -slow down in which case the centrifugal ,forceV hOWQVeI, or stall, `exerted by the ing the spring element k3| Vto the'right againgto close the-,ex-VV haust valve -and prevent lfurther'pclutch engagement, and possiblytoeven open valve A24 slightly in order, to again pressureto the clutchvcylinderifnthe speedof the `engine hasL been decreased very suddenly, I)it being` evident Athat y this action automatically compensates for any severe engagement oithe4 weights 39 Wi ll` decrease, allowclutch .which might otherwise occur with;A the .use vof anautomaticcontrolof thisY type. After the motor has reached a speed such thatthev centrifugal governorv maintainsf theVVV exhaust valve Y 25 in open .'posi'tion,however,y theV fluid` l pressure in the clutch` cylinder, Will'be .eidiausted` and, the clutch willv be in fully-rengagedp'gis tion, and further operationlof thefvehicle It will 4be readily apparent to `those the beam to 3|-to movethe valve operating the ,intake i admit fluid e It will be readily understood fromthe ioregoing explanation Ethat, Withthefpartsof thef valve 63 in the vposition shown, the 4clutch' cylinder ,59- will been'e'rgized byfluid pressure Vfrom the reservoir 60 in thev manner already described, while, on in; creasing the-speed of the spider''l in accordance Withrcorresponding increasesv in .the speed of rthe y throttleconditions, means .have been provided by the present invention lfOr COIXIICCtingYthe-'levex 1 'with the accelerator pedal 9.1 I

tion deviceincludingan operatingrodlll 5adapt ed? to'lslide :through aA bore |06 formed; injjhe lever and having a` s'topl 0 1. provided thereon. for

, engaging vthe left side of .the lever when vthe [05 has rnovedgtol the rig-lita predetermined.dief,A

engine, the centrifugal weights ,will tend to .rotate i about their` pivot points in Sucnamannervasto .cause the lever'arms ..32 :to exert a force to the left on vthev valve actuating? element `13, the initial movementl of the memberstending. to permit the closing ol'intakev valve GEI-underv theaction'of the spring 12, and further-movement` to the left causing the valve member to move awat7 from'the ex'- haust valve 1I and permit the vexhaust/of fluid pressure Yfrom the'. motorv 581 to atmosphere through conduit 62,..outlet 'chamber-,66, member 13;'port 16, exhaust chamber and exhaust conduit 13.'`` It will be apparent that an engine speed can :be reachedwherein the iorcesjacting on the y valve' actuating member 13"'due to thecentriugal Weights, the spring 83, andthe fluid pressure actingon the diaphragm-19 will balance in'such a manner as toV maintain both valves in closed position with `a subsequent trapping of fluid pressure in the motor 5S. This condition often occurs on a motor vehicle equipped lWith this type 'of mechanism when the transmission is-inhigh gear and the Vehicle'is running at lovvl speed on an up grade,

it being obvious that, under such a conditionpit may be impossible to increase'the Vmotor speed sufficiently to cause the centrifugal governor mechanism described to operate the valve mech'- anism to fully exhaust:`the clutch motor.`

`In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

Vthe vehicle engine is provided with anA intake manifold 94 having a throttle'valve 95 of conventional design suitably mounted thereinl and adapted to be actuated by a lever arm 96. An accelerator pedal 91 is pivotally mounted on'the 'vehicle and connected with the throttle lever S6 zthrough the medium of a connecting rodY 98, the

' accelerator pedal being'normallyheld in retracted position by means of a return YspringSSljattached to thelower end of the accelerator lever atone en'diand at the Vother end toa rigid portion of the vehicle'asshowinv In orderjthat the opera- ,V tionof the accelerator pedal may exercise the Y "above` describedv control Voverthe 'action of the centrifugally operated clutch valve 63'to'insure a 'positive deenergization' ofthe clutch motor1v 58 iwhen the tvehicle is travelling in gear with the lspeed of the'engine at such a low value that'the forceexerted by the centrifugal'r weights 9|' isV insuflicient to actuate the valve mechanism to full'yexhaust the clutch motor, Vfa lever arm |00 y lis pivotally mounted on the casingpof thelvalve 63 as'by means ofa pivot'pin I0|, and has alever portion |02 formedat its lower end adapted to en.-

gage the iiange portion 82 of the nut 8l in such a manner vthat clockwise movement of the lever will -force the n'ut rl'and'its attached valveactuatingv Jmember A'I3 :tothe left to permit positive closing of the intake valve Gil-andk vQpeningof theexhaust valvev "ll, with consequent complete exhaust of ffluidpressure from the-clutch motor. Thislever arm is normally maintained inthe position'shown,Y `against a suitable stop H'I3provided Vo'nso'rne iixedy portion of the vehiclegby means of a ret'iirnspring the operation ofthe Valvef63' only when thefvehicle is operating under substantially fullY open tance. This rod'isr, connected atfits lefgtendwith- .the accelerator pedal, throii'ghrgthe -medium nta with the accelerator,A pedal at through Van operating rQd 1,09;

the vehicle is operating 'inhigh gear, for example,

land the operator nds that the ,clutchV is slipping due to the fact that -the speed Yof' the vehicle and of theveh-icle 'engine isinsuiiicient to allow .the l governor weights 9| Vtooperate-the valve member 13 to 1fully'deenergize clutch motor 58,' the oper ator has onlyk toicompletely' depress the accelerae tor pedal whereupon the lever'. [-00 'will .be actu# ated to move the: valve operating member 13:1to the left suiiiciently toV actuate the valvesfand exi -haust the clutch motor regardless :ofthe speed of the engine, resulting in complete` clutch.l engage-Y ment-and elimination. of the-1.1nd'esirzl.bleslippingyY ,condition `of the .,clutch.

It will beY evident from the cation ofthe invention illustrated in one/,form ln' Fig. 2 of the drawings simple and 4eilicient means for controlling-the action *of an engine? 'speed responsive clutch control-valve under the '-co'n` trol of the 'acceleratorA pedal irrespective of the actual speedV oi the .engine Whensuch ai control is required. It j will be understoody that, `iflthe speed of 'theengine under 'the'a'bove' operating f conditions Aissuiiicient yltooperate 'th'ej valve j ,Y mechanism toiullydeenergiz'e-they -clutch' cyl inder, the accelerator pedal'can .beoperatedto' fully open the throttle ini'thef`nermal-fmannei,f and thelever |00 will be movedx`in"'al clclnv'isev Y direction against" the fo'rceexertedy by the re -turn'spring |84 without having-tof-over'come the resistance of the'clut'ch-control valvefspringj;

clutch control 'mechanismv may -be interconnectie ed with a valve controlled by the air gearf'shlft or any other suitable'vgearshift mechanism as 1shown moreiully 'in' Fig. l of? the'dr'awings inV f cases -where such interconnection is desirable. ff

, Y -Whilethe -in'ventionyha's 'been illustrated Vand A |04: interconnectedbetweenthe lever arm and the Vvehicle as illustrated inthe.f-drawings. Sinceit jis ,desirable to, have this lever effective -to control *1. In combination ywith described herein with considerable particularit'y', it is' to vljeunderstoo'd that the lsame is not lilnit'f ed *tor the `form*` shown, but" may receive variety Vof -mechanical expressionsy as'will now"readily l appear to vthoseA skilled inJ the l art; Reference will, therefore, be had to` the appended: 'claims` 'forja dennaionjofthe limi'siof thermen what is claimed is: I

an engine, an engine throttle, '.a clutch contr ling member, apower aetuatorlfor operating" l foregoinggdescrip-l x tion thatr there hasbeen providedY bythe vmodlV .tion With the throttle for-modifying: the control engine throttle, an.

' ingan yfor controlling the flow of power thereof bythe accelerator'and a connection with the accelerator wherebyA the operationof the. lattervmodifle's the action of Asaid element. y .1113."In a'm'otor `vehicle having l. an engine, an

` accelerator having. afconnec- 'tion with -said throttle, a clutch controllingzmember,..and. Ya Yfluid motor rfor :operating vsaid. mem-.- ber, lvalvular means for controlling: Vthe flow.' of fluidi. pressure .to and v'from sai'd..:motor;vmeans -llO responsive tothe speedlofthe :engine torreon` trolling the operation of Vsaid valvula'rfmeans, and means connecting said .accelerator and speed responsive meanswhereby .operation of the valvular means to permit the flow of fluid lpressure tosaid'motor isprevented'by. operation of said accelerator to open the throttle. r

v14. In a motor vehicle having an engine, an enginer throttle, a: clutch controlling member, a fluid motor for actuating said member, and an accelerator, valvular means. vfor controlling 'the flowof fluid'pressure to and fromlsaid motor, andV means including anelement actuatedjby the accelerator fand responsive" to 'engine speedjfor controlling the operation of said throttle and said 'valvular means.v f' 'f member, andarfluid motorfor controlling the of manually operable thi-ot# tie, and-valvular means vincluding anelement said speed responsive means.

17.*The' combination of -a vehicle having/an y engine, an venginefthrottle, a clutch Vcontrolling member, a power actuator for saidtkmember and an accelerator,A of means yincluding an element l-responsiveto engine speed for vcontrollingjthe y A,application of .power to'said actuator, and meansy for-'controlling said -throttle and the op eration :of

said'speed responsive element-including a `lever having a connection with the throttle, a connection with the accelerator and a connection with y' the speed responsive element intermediate. s aid firstnamed connections. z

18. Thecombination with a motor vehicle having an enginegja .throttleQa clutch .controllingA operation 'of :said member, means for controlling .the'action ofsaidr responsive jointly*` to .engine speed, the pressure of fluid in said'motor *andv to theoperationof m15. In a motor'vehicle? having an engine, .an

'engine throttle, an acceleratorya connection between sa-id throttle and-accelerator, aJclutch coni trolling member; member,valvular meansfor controllingthe flow of fluid Ipressure/to and from saidrno'tor'includ intake and exhaust .valve and an Velement for operatingsaid'valve, resilient means'for normally biasing' said element to' intakevalve opening position, means responsiveflto'-thespeediof the engine -for moving said element toexhaust valve -opening position,-. and .means including a v connection between vsaid elementandl. accelera-f tor 'for' assisting said speed responsive means in moving 'said-element to ,exhaust valve Aopening positionfon' movement of throttle opening position.

Y `mirri@ combination' in a vehiciehaving' an engine, an" engine throttle,l a clutch controlling member, a power actuator for said meniber,v a

transmission'provided with gear shiftingm'echanism, and an accelera-tor, of meansvincluding an element. responsive toerigine speed for controle ling the` application'of power to said actuator, 'means .controlled by the ,gear shift mechanism n 't l to said actua- .tor-, during shifting of gears .and for. rendering the first namedV means ineffectiveto controlY the power vactuator .during Ysaid gearshifting operation, and means for connecting said throttle,

speed responsive element and accelerator, whereby'v the action of 'said accelerator in controlling a fluid motor for operating saidv said. accelerator toY yond member movable for: driving engagement' 1 a clutchcontrolling member for c0111-,

"therewith,

said manually operable-means for 'controlling the flowof fluid pressure :to and fromy saidmotor.

Iing. an engine/a-throttle', a-clutch havingamemf 19. The combination with a motor vehicle hav,

ber. driven at all times bytheengine and` a. sec? trollingthedegree of engagement of said clutch `memberspand means forcontrolling the operation of said controlling member, of manually op erable meansfor'controllingthe' actiony of said throttle, andfmeans responsive jointly-tov engine speed. and -to the operation of` said'manually ioplerable means @for controlling the -action of the f firstnamed meansfsad jointly responsive means beingA movable in proportion to variations in e'n-k gine speed for correspondinglyv controllingV the Y degree .of engagement of the clutch members.

20, The., combination` I havingan engine, av throttle, a power transmit.-

tinggclutch'Y including a lmember driven a, all,

timesY bythe Vengine and afsecond member mov- 5d .means responsive jointly to the speed of therst able.y for ydriving engagement. therewith, aV clutch controlling member, andan actuator for lsaid member, of manually operable meansfor controlling the action of said throttle,v and movable named clutch memberand to the'operationof said manually operablemeansrfor controlling lthe j v energization of said. actuator,Y said :movable f means being movable `in proportion to variations inthe vspeed of the first namedclutch memberV forfcorrespondingly controlling the-degree ofenergization of. said actuator and the vdegree of engagem'ent of said clutch members for effectf "ing a graduated control of the clutch. A

l WILFRED- A. EATON..

thethrottle 'modifies' .thecontrolling f action of -with amotor vehicleV CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. Patent-No.- 2',521I,85o. July 2o, ,19145.

wILFRED A. EATON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificati-on of the above numbered patent requiring Correction as follows: Page 5, first/ Co1umn, line 68, for *PatentNo.'1,189,679 read 'Patent No. 2,189,679;

lLetters Patent 'should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of September, A. D.` 3.9115.

'Hem-y- Van Arsdale., (Seel) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

page 6, second column, line 14.5, for "a all read --at a11; and that the said A 

